“Clarissa?” Sven called from the door.
I looked up and gasped. A man and his wife knelt in front of the table in front of me. How long had they been there? Fuck!
“Umm…” I said, standing. “By the light of the moon, I see you. My gaze will never waiver. By the howls in the dark, I hear you. My ears will always listen.” I swallowed, growing more confident. “By the softly blowing wind, I smell you. I will never leave your side.”
“We are honored to have you, Grace,” the couple intoned, then stood. Their faces were composed and polite. But not warm. Their uneasiness was evident as they took their seats at the far end of the table.
Another family walked up to the table to kneel. This repeated itself dozens of times. Each face was the same: polite and cold. How you would react to a tourist. To an interloper.
I was in such a whirlwind of emotions I didn’t realize it when Klaus, Kraven and Helga knelt before me. I could smell their disdain. Helmut and Sven stood to either side of me, their closeness giving me strength. I looked up at Helmut.
His gorgeous eyes were hard, impenetrable. He nodded slightly.
“By the light of the moon, I see you. My gaze will never waiver,” I said, making my voice carry over the whole room. “By the howls in the dark, I hear you. My ears will always listen.”
Klaus shook his head slightly. It was a tiny flicker, something that would normally go unnoticed in human company. But this wasn’t normal human company.
Sven’s fingertips tapped against the tabletop. I looked over and could see his hand grow darker, a patch of fur sprouting up just on that part. His fingernails became dark, long. His eyes were impartial and cool, but he was on the verge of exploding across the table.
I reached over and intertwined my fingers with his. I felt him relax, massive tension released instantly. He rolled his shoulders and gave my hand a reaffirming squeeze.
I directed my attention back at the three in front of me. “By the softly blowing wind, I smell you. I will never leave your side.”
The two men muttered their responses. Helga made no pretense to. She smiled at me, but her eyes still burned with rage as she led her two boys to their spots at the table.
I watched Helga and her two sons take their seats. I was impressed by how Clarissa kept cool despite their disrespectful actions. No matter their challenge to our leadership, the feast was the feast. None could be turned away, not even your mortal enemy.
With everyone else seated, Clarissa, Sven and I took our seats at the center of the table.
I watched Clarissa clean her fingernails. They were spotless, but she fidgeted anyway.
“What’s wrong?” I said.
“Nothing,” she said without looking at me.
Women. Why was everything such a struggle? I caught Sven’s eyes over her head and he just gave a tiny shrug.
“You did very well,” I said.
“Would you tell me if I didn’t?” she said flatly.
I swallowed. “I don’t know. Probably not. You’re going through a lot right now, and you’re handling it very well.”
“I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten all day,” she said, making it clear she didn’t want to continue this conversation right now.
The village cook, Jorgen, began bringing dishes out to the table. Roasts of every kind of meat, everything from honey glazed ham to tandoor spiced chicken. Baskets of warm fresh bread piped hot steam lazily, filling the room with a mouth watering yeasty smell.
I looked down the table and saw Helga making small talk with other village members. Every few moments she’d glance over at us with curiosity.
Clarissa reached out for a casserole dish of green beans. My hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.
“Let me try that first, my Grace,” I said. I scooped a small helping of the green beans into my mouth. I let it sit on my tongue, absorbing the flavors and smells.
Helga had always been a swamp crone, the kind of mystic who knew the special healing properties of herbs. Knowledge about poisons went hand in hand with that. I didn’t want to take any chances.
I didn’t taste anything strange. I didn’t smell the subtle aromas of fungus or the astringency of hemlock. I scooped some onto Clarissa’s plate, ignoring the look she gave me.
After we finished the feast, everyone stood and walked outside into the village square.
“What’s going to happen now?” Clarissa said. “Is it time for the Challenge?”
“Not yet,” Sven said, popping the end of a baguette into his mouth. “First, we have your first run with the Pack.”
“I’m scared,” she said, her eyes tearing up.
“Good, you should be scared,” I said. “It would be foolish not to be. The hardest thing is to let go, but that’s what you will have to do.”
“But I’m already in the Pack!” she pleaded. “We did the whole ceremony!”
“We are a people of two worlds. You’re right. We did the ceremony for the human side. But that still leaves the ceremony for the wolf side,” I said, my hand stroking her cheek softly. “You need to be strong.”
“What if I don’t want to do it? What if I don’t want all…” She waved her hands around the vast hall. “All this?”
“It’s a bit late for that, Clarissa,” I said. I felt my pulse quicken. Why would she have second thoughts now? Could there be a worse moment?
“A bit late? Do I not have a choice now? You think just because you fuck me and turn me into a Shifter, now I have to run on all fours and eat from a bowl on the floor?” Clarissa’s face was turning red.
“Please, Clarissa,” Sven said. “I know it’s scary. I know it must seem daunting. But we’re counting on you. We need you.”
“You’ve needed me, but did you want me?” she said quietly, burying her face in her hands. “It’s like they said, you were desperate.”
“Clarissa! That’s not true at all!” I said. “They’re the ones who are desperate. They’re creating lies to try to upset you.”
“Leave me be,” she said.
“Clarissa, please.” I said. “I don’t want to see you sad. If being with us won’t make you happy, then I won’t trap you in a life you don’t want.”
“Helmut!” Sven said, his jaw hanging open.
I threw up my hands and walked out. My nostrils flared, my hackles up. I wanted to smash something. Everything was coming apart.
In the village square, everyone was stripping off their clothes. They looked to me expectantly, ready to undertake this strained formality. A hand landed on my shoulder from behind.
“Alpha, we need to be calm,” Sven said quietly.
“Maybe this was a mistake,” I said. “Maybe Clarissa…”
“Our Grace is the best choice we’ve ever made,” he said. “A day ago she was on a little vacation through Norway. We can’t expect her to deal with all this so quickly.”
“But we-“ I said.
A large black wolf burst past us, nearly knocking Sven and I over.
Leaving Sven and Helmut in the dust, I kept running forward. My hands and feet were paws. My nose was on the end of a long snout. My tongue hung out the side of my mouth. As I sliced through the still night air, I felt my tail behind me, twitching to help keep me balanced.
Men and women, most still in the process of undressing, dove out of my way. When I got to the edge of the village square, I looked back on everyone. They all looked too tall, ponderously balanced on two legs. I lifted my mouth and howled to the night sky.
Helmut’s jaw dropped. Sven wore a huge grin.
I spun around, dashing off between two big buildings. A white picket fence surrounded a garden up ahead. I bunched up my hind legs and planted them out in front of me, springing high up into the air to clear the white boards.
My paws slipped sideways and I sprawled out midair, crashing through the picket fence. Five of the pickets snapped in half as I slammed through them. Countless tomato plants were squished as I rolled back onto my feet and kept run
ning. The air rushing into my lungs was invigorating.
Howls from behind me told me that the Pack was following. With incredible speed, Helmut was next to me, his sleek brown fur hanging in a shaggy coat off his lithe wolf body.
With a nip, he tagged my hip and bolted off in a different direction. I followed him through the underbrush and across downed tree limbs. I didn’t know where he was leading us, but he was running with a purpose.
I came up to the glade, encircled by the twelve ancient trees. Older than any of the Pack’s stories, they’ve looked on in witness of every sacred Pack ritual. Tonight would be another.
I Shifted, feeling parts of my body reshape and morph. The rest of the Pack sauntered in, Shifting as we filled the sacred glade. High above the moon shone down on us, illuminating our naked bodies with a soft blue glow.
On the other side of the glade, Helga, Klaus and Kraven huddled together. She was blessing Kraven for the combat, urging him to victory. I heard her mention Luka’s name, and that got him very angry. She held his hands in her own.
Clarissa and Sven walked up to me.
“You’ve got this,” I said. I spat on the ground, my eyes locked onto Klaus’ across the glade. In that moment we were mirror images of one another. We’d both be sending men very dear to us into battle. One of them may die.
“He looks big,” Clarissa said. “Be careful, Sven.”
“Oh Clarissa, you haven’t seen big yet,” Sven said, winking. His black tribal tattoos criss-crossed like spiderwebs down his back, arms, and legs. His white scars interrupted them in certain spots, breaking their dark lines.
“I challenge you, Helmut!” Klaus yelled from across the glade. “The shame ends now!” He shook with rage, his face beet red.
“How do you want to do this, Kraven?” Sven said, walking into the center of the glade. He rolled his shoulders, stretching his arms.
“Full form,” Kraven said, walking out into the middle of the glade. “You’re going to pay for what you did to my father.”
“Your mother has poisoned your mind,” Sven said. “Let these be the last words between us.”
In a horrifying blur, Kraven ran towards Sven. He became taller, broader, covered in fur. He became the wolf man of nightmares: nine feet tall of hulking muscles, claws and two inch canines. He held his claws low and pounced to land on Sven.
Sven sidestepped at the last minute, throwing a jab that struck Kraven in the ribs. He bent half backwards to avoid a huge sweeping claw. He spun of out of the way of a massive foot that tried to stomp him.
Kraven howled in frustration and leapt again, his arms coming down to pin Sven in the middle. Claws aiming for Sven’s neck, his fingers were stopped mere inches away.
Sven had Shifted instantly, his clawed hands grabbing Kraven’s wrists. Sven’s body was covered in a light tan fur, missing in long streaks down his arms and legs. His tattoos moved under his fur like a shadow, dark shapes appearing when he moved to and fro.
Kraven kicked savagely, a battering ram to Sven’s solar plexus.
Sven flew backwards, his chest heaving in the struggle to take in each breath. He rolled over and got to his feet, just in time to duck away from Kraven’s jaws.
Kraven threw a wild raking claw, swinging from below with reckless abandon. His claws found their target in Sven’s ribs, puncturing through skin, bone, and flesh.
Helga cheered as her son struck home. Kraven just looked at me, relishing in the moment.
Clarissa screamed, burying her face in my chest.
“Don’t turn away,” I said.
Tears streaming down her face, she turned back around in time to see Sven raise an arm to protect his face.
Kraven’s huge jaws snapped down on Sven’s forearm. Blood sprayed everywhere, Sven’s tan fur now dark and matted with his blood. Kraven swung his free hand to slash at Sven’s face.
The arm trapped in Kraven’s mouth jerked to the side, intercepting the blow. In a single swift motion, Sven’s free hand shot upward, smashing into Kraven’s exposed neck with the force of a freight train. Sven pulled his claw out and a deluge of Kraven’s blood spilled between them.
Kraven’s features softened, his eyes losing their lucidity. His jaw slackened, releasing Sven’s arm. He sank to his knees, his hand going to his opened neck.
Helga screamed. Klaus sank to his knees, staring at the dying form of his brother.
Sven pulled Kraven’s claws from his side and turned around. He stumbled three steps before collapsing onto the grass. He Shifted back into human form.
“The Challenge is over!” I said, my voice carrying across the clearing.
Clarissa and I bolted into the glade, running over to kneel down next to Sven.
“Oh God, oh God,” she said, cradling his head in her lap.
His arm was badly mangled, sinew and muscle strewn about. Blood pumped out in long pulses. The hole in his ribs was also leaking red onto the grass underneath him.
“Don’t fret, Clarissa. He’s seen worse,” I said, squatting down. I put my hand on her shoulder and on his chest. “I’m proud of you both.”
“He’s dying!” she said sternly, her face twisted with worry.
“Sven, would you stop with the dramatics?” I growled.
Sven’s lips curled up in a smile. Already his arm was beginning to knit, the flesh pulling together to right itself. The hole in his side would take a little longer to heal. No silver had been used, so fatal wounds were unlikely. Scars were certain, but the honor and integrity of the Pack would be preserved.
Clarissa kissed Sven on the lips, then slapped him painfully on the chest. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again!”
“Mercy! Mercy!” he said, trying to defend himself from her attacks.
Across the glade, Helga and Klaus were kneeling down next to Kraven. Back in human form, Kraven’s chest was rising and falling. I stood and walked over to them.
“He fought well,” I said. Diplomacy was sometimes the sharpest blade.
“What would you know of it?” Helga said, spitting on the ground near me. “You’ve won tonight, true, but this doesn’t absolve your failures. They will haunt you all your nights!”
“You and your whore will be the doom of this Pack,” Klaus said, helping his brother up.
“It brings me no joy, but tradition dictates that the losers are banished. Your names will be struck from the histories. Go in peace,” I said, offering them my hand.
The two of them looked at my hand like it was a poisonous serpent. Carrying Kraven between them, they stumbled out of the glade, heading back to the village to pack up their things.
I heard footsteps behind me.
“You have a knack for winning people over,” Sven said, wheezing. He leaned on Clarissa for support. “God damn he had a nasty bite. I nearly pissed myself when he went down to the bone.”
“Always with the jokes,” I said. “This isn’t the time.”
“He’s just trying to lighten the mood. Lay off him,” Clarissa said to me.
Saddled Bearback (BBW Shifter Cowboy Romance) (Bear Ranchers Book 2) Page 60